NY State Historian? There is none

The 200th anniversary of one of the most stupendous events in American history was marked on Aug. 17: Robert Fulton's steamship voyage up the Hudson River from New York City to Albany.

Fulton and crew made the 150-mile trip in the astonishing time of 32 hours, "equal to near five miles an hour," the captain observed.

Unfortunately, New York did not have a resident historian to properly commemorate this occasion. In fact, New York hasn't had a state historian since 2001. Officials blame "budget constraints."

Assemblyman Jack McEneny, D-Albany, lobbying for the reinstitution of the state historian position, called it "very poor form for a state with the greatest history in the country not to have that position filled," according to published reports.

The projected annual salary for state historian is $70,000. Meanwhile, part-time state legislators receive a base salary of $79,500 per year.